At this point, I've read enough of Harvey Frommer's books to anticipate the excellent history and writing that is to be found in this one. But what I wasn't prepared for is just how beautiful the design of the book is; the bounty of photographs of the park, players, and action; and the images of memorabilia--like ticket stubs and posters--scattered throughout. If you're a Yankee fan or have read much about them, there won't necessarily be a lot that's new to you here, but you can't be enough of a fanatic to know all the great anecdotes and the oral histories from players and others with memories of and ties to the Stadium are wonderful. What seals the deal though is the visual experience and, since we soon won't have the park itself to refer to anymore, that makes this book a must have.

Just as everyone has their own special memory of The Stadium, in such a rich collection of stories and pictures, everyone is likely to find their own favorite tidbit. Here's mine. In the middle of Mr. Frommer's discussion of Babe Ruth's record 60 homerun season of 1927, we come upon a list of the pitchers off of whom he went yard that year. A simple enough thing you think, eh? But check out these names: Sloppy Thurston (3 times!), Rube Walberg (4 times!), Rip Collins, Garland Buckeye (twice on June 11th), Hal Wiltse, Slim Harriss, Hod Lisenbee, Lefty Stewart, Sarge Connally, Milt Gaston, Willis Hudlin, Lefty Grove... If a fiction writer used all those magnificent monikers in a baseball novel you'd criticize him for going over the top. Make room on your coffee table, because you'll want to keep this beauty there.